STKTGID.^. FALCONID.f:. 



27 



Yer_y rare wanderer 



152. Eagle-Owl. Biiho i(/iiavHS, T. Forster 

 not yet noticed in Ireland. 



Facial disk incomplete above eyes ; tufts very large ; no operculum 

 General colour above blackish, mottled with tawny yellow. Toes so Ja^pa^n 



thickly featliered that the last joint is hidden. Ii'is orange-yellow. 



Length 20-27 inches. 



Europe, 

 N. Africa, 

 N. Asia, 

 N. China, 



N. Africa. 



153. Little Owl. Carine noctua (Scopoli). Eare straggler; not Europe, 

 recorded from Scotland or Ireland. Probably many of the records are •A^'^ia Mmor, 

 those of escaped or turned-out specimens. 



Facial disk ill-defined ; tuftless ; no operculum. 



Above greWsli brown, spotted with white ; below white, much 

 strettlrd with brown ; iris yellow ; toes wltliout feathers, but covered 

 with bristles. Length 7|-8 inches. 



Order ACCIPITEES. Family VULTURID^. 



154. Griffon Vulture. Gyps fulvus (J. F. Gmelin). A young S.Europe, 

 bird obtained near Cork in 1843. * N. Africa. 



General colour ashy fulvous ; head and neck covei'ed \\ii\\ whitish 

 down ; ruif of white down. Primaries and tail blackish. 



Youny. Euff of tawny lanceolate feathers. Length 40 inches. 



155. Egyptian Vulture. Neophron percnopterus (lAwasi\\ii). Twice S.Europe, 

 obtained in England. N. Africa, 



. . . wintering in 



Adults. vVIutish, prnuaries black ; fore part of head and neck bare of s. Africa. 



feathers and yellow. 



Younij. Dark brown ; front of head and neck dirty grey. Length 



25 inches. 



FALCONID^. 



156. Marsh-Harrier. Circus cemyinosus (Linna3us). At one time 

 resident in England and Ireland, but now almost exterminated ; very 

 rare in Scotland. 



Outer web of fifth primary notched ; fail uniform above. 



Adult m(de. Head creamy white, streaked with blackish brown ; wing- 

 covert.s, secondaries, tertials, and tail ash-grey. (This plumage rarely 

 occurs in this country.) 



Female. Head huffish or creamy white, streaked with blackish brown ; 

 creamy white margin on shoulders of wings. General colour dark 

 brown ; below chocolate -brown ; tail brown. 



Youny of the year. Dark brown ; head chocolate-brown. In the 

 next plumage the head, chin, and throat vary from rufous to creamy 

 white, more or less streaked with blackish brown ; but in first plumage 

 some are said occasioually to have the head creamy white. Length 

 21-23 inches. 



